Hive5 AI Overview on 09/2025

Hive5 Platform Overview

Hive5 is a Croatian-based P2P lending marketplace (crowdlending platform) launched in 2022. It lets retail investors fund short-term consumer and business loans through its affiliated originators. The platform advertises high yields (up to ~16% APR) with €10 minimum investments and a built-in 60-day buyback guarantee to cover late payments. Key advantages include easy auto-invest tools and reputed on-time payments (Trustpilot ~4.4/5). Major risks are elevated: no regulatory license, potential insider conflicts (all loan originators are related to the founders), and illiquidity (no secondary market). 🚨

Hive5 Investment Product Details

Hive5’s product is essentially loan receivables. Investors lend to borrowers via loan originators (no direct equity). Returns come from borrower interest; typical loans are short-term (often ~30–90 days for consumer loans) and business loans up to several months. Interest rates range ~12–16% APR, compounding monthly. Legally, investors “buy claim rights” on loan portfolios (not bank deposits). Hive5’s originators are mainly in Poland, Spain, Romania, Lithuania (see originators below). Investment terms are transparent: min investment €10, no stated max, and fixed maturity per loan. Main risks include borrower default (mitigated by buyback after 60 days late), liquidity risk (no secondary market), and total loss if an originator becomes insolvent. 💥 Investors must diversify to spread risk.

Hive5 Company & Management

Hive5 is operated by Hive5 marketplace d.o.o., registered in Zagreb, Croatia (Reg. No. 081441259). It is part of the Hive Finance Group (a Baltic/Latvian lender network) and not a standalone brand. The group’s co-founders include Ričardas Vandzinskas and Andrius Rupšys. The current CEO of Hive5 is Aurimas Kačinskas. Hive5 has no external corporate owners disclosed beyond Hive Finance UAB (Latvia). It has no regulated status: no Croatian or EU financial license. Croatian regulators (HANFA) and EU crowdfunding (ECSPR) do not yet oversee Hive5. Hive5 acknowledges it “is not regulated under any financial services license”.

Hive5 Volumes & Performance (2024–2025)

As of mid-2025, Hive5 reports ~€119M total loan volume funded (over €100M by May 2025) and ~27,000 registered investors. The platform has funded about 10,000 loans. Its advertised average investor return is ~15% APY. In 2023 Q3 Hive Finance Group reported loans issued €5.755M (loans issued by originators). Claims about defaults: Hive5 claims 0% late loans, pledging immediate buyback on any late payment. Officially no defaults are shown on the investor interface. There is no public data on loss rates or delinquencies beyond these statements. Because it lacks external audit transparency, investors must take such claims on trust. 🗓️ All stats are up-to-2025.

Hive5 Risk Management Practices

Hive5’s loans are originated and underwritten by its in-house affiliates. Each originator (e.g. Ekspres Pozyczka) uses internal credit scoring, big-data risk engines and manual checks. Investors cannot apply additional filters beyond choosing loan category and rate. Hive5 enforces strict KYC/AML on borrowers and claims to segregate funds. The platform’s main safety net is its buyback guarantee: if a payment is >60 days overdue, originators must repurchase loans at par plus accrued interest. Hive5 also touts quarterly external audits (by FBP Advise) as extra oversight. Nevertheless, without a regulator, the core risk remains counterparty: if an originator or Hive5 itself goes bankrupt, investors have no official compensation. There is no secondary market, so investors rely on these guarantees and diversifying across loans.

Hive5 Platform Functionality

Hive5 offers a simple web platform (EN and ES versions) where users deposit euros and invest in listed loans. Key features: Auto-Invest (set criteria to automatically reinvest) and manual investment. An investor dashboard shows portfolio, returns, and a downloadable tax report. Withdrawals are allowed only after loan maturities (no early exit), and Hive5 handles payouts promptly (Trustpilot reviews highlight fast payments). Supported currency is € only. There is no secondary market or built-in loan trading. Hive5 provides basic analytics (annual interest history) but no third-party ratings. Customer support is via chat/email, with 24–48h response. No insurance or third-party guarantee exists beyond the buyback policy. 📱💻

Hive5 Pricing (Fees)

Hive5 does not charge investors any fees. There are no deposit/withdrawal fees, no account or maintenance fees, and no performance fees on interest. All loan interest goes to investors minus originator interest. On the fundraisers’ side, loan originators likely incur platform listing costs (not disclosed). The pricing model is very transparent to investors: Hive5 explicitly states “no costs or hidden fees for investors”. There are no exit fees either, since funds lock only per loan term.

Negative Publicity about Hive5

Despite marketing, Hive5 has attracted criticism. Multiple sources highlight lack of regulation and potential conflicts: all lending companies on Hive5 share founders, raising governance concerns. Hive5’s small scale and rapid growth have raised red flags in reviews. Independent blogs note aggressive marketing tactics – e.g. reportedly offering payments for positive Trustpilot reviews– and legal threats to critics. Trust in Hive5 also faces scrutiny from history: key founders were involved in the failed platform Credon, and skeptics worry this may repeat. On balance, investors are warned that any company claims (e.g. consistently “never late”) cannot be fully verified externally.

Hive5 Success Stories & Milestones

Hive5 has marked some milestones: it hit €100M funded in May 2025 and grew to ~€119M by mid-2025. It expanded into new markets: in 2024–25 it launched Spanish (FinJet/Nectar) and Romanian (Credilink) loan originators. It boasts strong payback track record – the CEO has noted profitable operations of its Polish lender. Hive5 also actively publishes performance updates (e.g. July 2025 saw 27% MoM growth). Customer feedback is positive: the platform’s Trustpilot is ~4.4/5. While no major awards are known, Hive5 self-promotes achievements (e.g. “Top-Rated Platform” claim) and industry media has covered its growth phases.

Hive5 Loan Originators

Hive5 investors fund loans via several affiliated originator firms:

• Argentum Capital sp. z o.o. (Ekspres Pozyczka, Poland) – Offers short-term consumer loans (€100–€400 up to 30 days). Founded 2022 with ~20 staffhive5.co. Total loans funded ~€19.6Mhive5.co. Uses proprietary credit scoring.

• Nectar Capital S.L. (FinJet/Mana Concept, Spain) – Spanish personal loans (€100–€500, 30-day) and soon instalment loans. Founded 2023, UAB Hive Finance is sole owner. Volume ~€12.4M funded, ~€1.23M outstanding, avg rate 14.5%. CEO Alex Teslenko leads a tech-focused team.

• Digital Capital Finance IFN SA (Credilink, Romania) – New (2024) Romanian business loans. Small start (~€0.80M funded). Run by ex-banker Laur Emilian. Offers 16% ROI business loans as it scales.

• Ruptela UAB (Lithuania) – BNPL (“buy now, pay later”) loans; very small volume (~€0.07M funded). Owned by Hive group.
  All these originators are owned by Hive Finance Group. Their lending portfolios (totals above) carry the full credit risk, though Hive5 provides buyback support. No independent risk ratings or credit lines (bonds) are reported for them.

Is Hive5 safe and regulated?

No. Hive5 has no financial license or supervisory oversight. It operates under contract law only. Investors should treat it as high-risk and not expect government protection.

What returns can I expect on Hive5?

Advertised net yields are ~12–16% APR. Actual average return has been ~15%. Returns accrue monthly and depend on loan types chosen.

What are the main risks on Hive5?

Principal risk is borrower default. Hive5’s strategy is that originators buy back loans >60 days late. Still, if an originator or Hive5 fails, investors could lose money. The platform is unregulated and has had no long track record. Political/regulatory changes (e.g. Poland’s ban on P2P) can also impact loan availability. Investors must diversify, use small allocations (min €10 per loan), and be prepared for potential losses.